Rachel's Promise of Return to Zion Gains New Meaning
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Rabbi David Chaim HaCohen explained the significance of the matriarch Rachel's prayer, which he says secured the promise of return to the Land of Israel. As the anniversary of her passing nears, he connected her self-sacrifice to the Jewish people's presence in the land today. The rabbi emphasized that building and living in Israel embodies its sanctity, a legacy from Rachel.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Rabbi David Chaim HaCohen links matriarch Rachel's prayer to the promise of Jewish return to Israel.
- Rachel's prayer was accepted during the Temple's destruction due to her self-sacrifice for her sister.
- The rabbi states that the Jewish people are in the land today thanks to Rachel's merit.
- Rachel's legacy is tied to the sanctity of the Land of Israel and practical life within it.
- Building settlements and living in Israel are described as acts of great holiness.
As the 11th of Cheshvan, the anniversary of the matriarch Rachel's passing, approaches, Rabbi David Chaim HaCohen, head of the Bat Yam Yeshiva, explained the profound significance of the redemption promise given specifically to her. He connected Rachel's tears, the return to the Land of Israel, and contemporary reality.
Rabbi HaCohen elaborated on why Rachel's prayer was the one accepted during the destruction of the Temple, referencing a Midrash where Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses had all interceded for Israel without success. Rachel, however, intervened, reminding God of her self-sacrifice in allowing her sister Leah to marry Jacob without shame, and implored Him to show mercy to His children.
"Rachel's prayer is what was accepted," Rabbi HaCohen emphasized, stating, "I guarantee you that I will return the people of Israel to the land. So we are here in the land thanks to our mother Rachel."
According to the rabbi, Rachel's legacy is intrinsically linked to the sanctity of the Land of Israel and the Jewish people's ability to manifest holiness in practical life. While Leah was tasked with preserving spiritual heritage and raising children in Torah and observance, Rachel's domain is the sanctity of the Land of Israel, the people of Israel, and their physical existence.
He stressed that the sanctity of the land is not merely an abstract concept but is embodied in building settlements, cultivating the land, and living in Israel. "Anyone who does anything in the Land of Israel, to build it, to found it, to renew it, to build settlements, houses, all of this, this is a very great holiness," he stated.
The rabbi concluded that the promise "And the children shall return to their border" is not just a memory of a distant exile but a foundational element of faith in Israel's return to its land, a privilege granted through Rachel.
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